FALKIRK, Scotland (AP) — Two runners and two hurdlers from Ethiopia were reported missing Tuesday after leaving their hotel before a track and field meet in Scotland.The four are Betelhem Shewatatek (women's 200 meters), Feleke Bekele (women's 400 hurdles), Hagos Tadesse (men's 400) and Tirehas Haileselassie (men's hurdles).
Scottish Athletics chief executive Geoff Wightman said his organization reported their disappearance to the police.
The Ethiopians were to compete Wednesday in the Falkirk Cup, a meet also featuring England, Ireland and Scotland. The four athletes are not regulars at major meets.
"My colleague actually tried to restrain two of them but they ran off," said Dagmawit Amare, who is part of Ethiopia's team management in Scotland and has been working with Scottish Athletics. "This is such a sad thing to happen for my country and the sport."
UPDATE
The athletes who have vanished in the UK are believed to be seeking asylum, Mirror reported yesterday.
"One of the Africans fled shortly after landing at Heathrow." Another three disappeared from the team hotel before they were due to catch a flight to Edinburgh yesterday, Mirror said adding that two were spotted sneaking out of the foyer by one of the team's managers - "but an attempt to stop them failed." The athletes fled their hotel in London on Tuesday and failed to make a connecting flight to Edinburgh ahead of the Falkirk Cup athletics event, another report by AFP cited officials as having said.
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